How do you winterize?

[JonCBrand]

Well last year I failed to winterize my skoolie.
Needless to say I replaced about 20-30 feet of pvc and numerous fittings.
Im not doing it again!!
Its getting near the time to winterize so give me some Ideas.
Ive seen the rv antifreeze.
Ive heard of hooking up compressed air to the pump inlet and opening all the water valves for a few minutes.
I think i might do both, blow out the water lines then fill the system with rv antifreeze. Just to be safe.

[the_experience03]

My bus is currently parked for the winter. Basically all I had to do was run it for a while with some good fuel stabilizer/cetane booster/anti gel and I put a good charge on the batteries. I will start it again in a few months to top off the batteries again.

My water system doesn't have a pump. I instead use compressed air for pressurization. If it weren't for the fact that some pipes got broken in an oops spilling 55 gallons of water on the floor, I would have had to turn off all the valves, disconnect the unions, pull the tank out and drain it, and open the valve leading to the drain out the back for the water lines.

[captainkf]

The problem with blowing out your lines is the possiblity of missing or back draining water in the system. The thought that you got it all and it turns out not so much. If you do blow out your system don't forget to empy your P traps in the waste lines. That's the nice thing about rv antifreeze, it takes care of both the fresh and dirty water systems. Just put a T in the line between your water pump and the fresh tank, leave extra pipe with an open end. When it comes time to winterize, turn the valve, stick the extra length of pipe or hose into the rv antifreeze container and turn on the pump. The pump will just draw out of the container until you are satisfied that your system is thoroughly saturated. If you instal a water heater bypass, be sure to have your valves turned so you can safley empty the hot water tank. Otherwise you will have to use much more antifreeze to fill your tank. Don't forget to drain your tank, otherwise it will crack open during the cold winter monthes.

-Richard

[JonCBrand]

Is that rv antifreeze safe??
or should i say non toxic or do i need to cleanse the lines after use.
my fresh tank draws directly off the bottom its a 100gal. about 1' deep, 4' wide,5' tall. mounted verticaly behind the bedroom wall.
I usually have maybee a cup or two of water left in the tank after the pump runs dry.

[the_experience03]

Salt water is a good antifreeze and is fairly non-toxic. I'd certainly rather ingest that than antifreeze containing ethyl glycol. Of course it is also corrosive. How about buying some cheap vodka and dumping that in there?

Most RV's I've seen have bypass tubes for the pump and water heater. That way only that part ofthe system comes in contact with the solution. Either way I would suggest HEAVy flushing come Spring.

[JonCBrand]

I could do the vodka thing then come spring I could throw a party and have a vodka shower!! How much vodka will 50 or so feet of 1/2" pvc hold!

I think ill just blow out the lines.

[captainkf]

RV antifreeze has been used for many years. If it was deadly leathal it would have been phazed out. You still need to give your tanks a good rinse before use. Here are a couple of souces to take a peak at.

Propylene glycol is what is found in RV Antifreeze.

After flushing out your system the trace amounts left should in my humble opinion be absolutely safe, however doing shots of it with beer chasers may not be such a good idea .

http://www.peakantifreeze.com/msds/msds ... 0effect%22

"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified propylene glycol as an additive that is "generally recognized as safe" for use in food. It is used to absorb extra water and maintain moisture in certain medicines, cosmetics, or food products. It is a solvent for food colors and flavors.

Propylene glycol is also used to create artificial smoke or fog used in fire-fighting training and in theatrical productions."

"How can ethylene glycol and propylene glycol affect my health?
Eating or drinking very large amounts of ethylene glycol can result in death, while large amounts can result in nausea, convulsions, slurred speech, disorientation, and heart and kidney problems.


Ethylene glycol affects the body's chemistry by increasing the amount of acid, resulting in metabolic problems. Similar to ethylene glycol, propylene glycol increases the amount of acid in the body. However, larger amounts of propylene glycol are needed to cause this effect."

"Propylene glycol is generally considered to be a safe chemical, and is not routinely tested for, unless specific exposure, such as to a medicine or cosmetic, can be linked with symptoms. Since both chemicals break down very quickly in the body, they are very difficult to detect, even though symptoms may be present."

"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified propylene glycol as "generally recognized as safe," which means that it is acceptable for use in flavorings, drugs, and cosmetics, and as a direct food additive."

These are select peices of information from this site - http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts96.html

Visit the site for more information.

-Richard

[GoneCamping]

The last 2 years my "winterizing" efforts were limited to running heat tape on the water hose and then insulating it., and running some 'rope lights' along the interior runs and covering it with some insulation. I am full timing however, so pink or air was NOT an option for me!!